United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region’s Community Conversation Around Substance Abuse Prevention has been postponed from Thursday, January 4th to Thursday, January 11th, due to predicted inclement weather. The January 11th program will be held at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh from 8:30am to 1:00pm. Free and open to the public, pre-registration is requested. To register, go to www.uwdor.org/register-jan418.
United Way is convening the community conversation to gather information around substance abuse prevention and the current opioid crisis that is impacting our communities.
“You can’t pick up a newspaper, turn on the TV, or look at the Internet, without seeing some story about the tragedy the current drug crisis has caused,” said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, who will be delivering the keynote address. “In Orange County, we are approaching the crisis through a three-part strategy: education, to help keep people away from drugs in the first place; the empowerment to seek treatment, to help people who are addicted; and enforcement, to attack the suppliers of illegal drugs before they can affect our communities. I applaud the United Way for bringing this program together, and for playing their part in addressing the drug epidemic, so that together, hopefully, we can save some lives.”
An NPR story about the drop in life expectancy in the US cited a CDC report released on December 21 that showed the growing number of deaths from drug overdoses due in large part to the growing opioid crisis. Of the 63,600 deaths from overdoses in 2016 more than more than 42,200 of them were attributed to opioids.
Almost 90 community leaders, representatives of nonprofit organizations and concerned citizens will be lending their voice at United Way’s community conversation on Thursday, January 11th to be held in Hudson Hall at Mount Saint Mary College (330 Powell Ave, Newburgh) from 8:30am – 1:00pm. To register, go to www.uwdor.org/register-jan418.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler will provide the keynote address from 9:30am – 10:15am. A panel discussion, facilitated by United Way Community Impact Committee member Christie VanHorne M ED, MPH, will follow from 10:15am to 11:40am. Panelists will include Jim Conklin, CASAC, CPP, Executive Director, The Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Council; Damara Gutnick, MD, Medical Director, Montefiore Hudson Valley Collaborative Preforming Provider System; Darcie Miller, LCSW-R, Commissioner of Social Services and Mental Health, Orange County; Susan Salomone, MS, CASAC, Founder & Executive Director, Drug Crisis In Our Backyard; Elaine Trumpetto, M.A., Executive Director, The Council on Addiction Prevention & Education of Dutchess County, Inc.; Michele Tugade, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Vassar College; and Dawn Wilkin, CPS, Assistant Director of Prevention Services, Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange & Sullivan. (Speaker and panelist biographies are available at: www.uwdor.org/speaker-bios-010418)
SCHEDULE
8:30am - 9:00am Registration
9:00am - 9:30am Welcome & Introduction: Jeannie Montano,President & CEO, United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region andLisa Gallina-Alverez, Director of Admissions, Mount Saint Mary College
9:30am - 10:15am Keynote Address by Orange County District Attorney, David Hoovler, Esq.
10:15am - 11:40am Panel Discussion facilitated by United Way Community Impact Committee member Christie VanHorne M ED, MPH, with Jim Conklin, CASAC, CPP, Executive Director, The Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Council; Damara Gutnick, MD, Medical Director, Montefiore Hudson Valley Collaborative Preforming Provider System; Darcie Miller, LCSW-R, Commissioner of Social Services and Mental Health, Orange County; Susan Salomone, MS, CASAC, Founder & Executive Director, Drug Crisis In Our Backyard; Elaine Trumpetto, M.A., Executive Director, The Council on Addiction Prevention & Education of Dutchess County, Inc.; Michele Tugade, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Vassar College; and Dawn Wilkin, CPS, Assistant Director of Prevention Services, Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange & Sullivan.
11:40am – 11:50am Break
11:50am - 12:40pm Focus Groups facilitated by United Way Community Impact Council
12:40pm - 1:00pm Closing & Next Steps: Melissa Clark, Director of Community Impact, United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region
DETAILS:
WHO: Keynote Speaker is Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler
WHAT: United Way’s Community Conversation Around Substance Abuse Prevention
WHEN: Thursday, January 11th from 8:30am to 1:00pm
WHERE: Mount Saint Mary College, Hudson Hall, 330 Powell Ave, Newburgh
ADMISSION: FREE and open to the public.
INFORMATION: www.uwdor.org/register-jan418
